


a series of taeil events

by loretoo



Series: Single dad!AU [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family, Fluff, Growing Up, M/M, mentioned johnil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 12:22:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loretoo/pseuds/loretoo
Summary: Four stories about four different moments in Taeil's life.





	a series of taeil events

**Author's Note:**

> This is a short sequel to 'let's not fall deep, it's fate', where I explore a little more about this universe and its characters. Definitely not the last time I'll write about them, because I just love this au so much! The last story is a short sneak peek into what the fourth part of this series will be, please anticipate!

_                                   The one where Taeil goes to America for the first time _

 

Taeyong was  _ stressed _ . There was sweat going down his forehead, his head felt dizzy and his eyes were dry. Thousands of people walked around him in every direction, speaking languages he had never heard before and walking as if they knew exactly where they had to be. Yes, Taeyong was more than stressed. Fifteen hours in a plane with a six year old will do that to you, apparently. He wished someone had told him about it before embarking himself and his family in this journey across the globe.

“Taeil,  _ do not  _ let go of my hand.” he said, squeezing his son’s small hand between his own, as he dragged his suitcase with the other.

“Appa, appa! Chocolates! Get me chocolates!”

“Your uncles have lots of chocolates in their house, baby.” Jaehyun lifted the six year old into his arms. “Can you help me spot them? I think they should be around here…”

“How big an airport can  _ be _ ?” Taeyong complained. “I feel like we’ve been walking for miles now.”

Taeil suddenly yelled over his stressed appa’s whines. “Over there! Uncle Dodo! Uncle Ten!” 

In the distance, Ten and Doyoung were jumping and waving their arms at the family, foreheads glued to the glass that separated them from immigrations. Ten was lifting a huge sign over his head with Taeil’s name in korean (he already knew how to write and read, as he showcased to his uncles via Skype one day), and Doyoung had tears on his eyes that could be spotted from where Taeyong and Jaehyun were standing. 

After a long and slow line where Taeyong panicked internally about the possibility of being sent back to Korea for no reason, the entire family was finally together again after three long years. 

“Taeil! Oh god…” Doyoung took the boy into his arms and hugged him tight, spinning him around and taking in his scent that he had missed so much. “I missed you so,  _ so  _ much…”

Doyoung had tears running down his face when they broke apart, which Taeil cleaned up with his chubby little hands. “Uncle Dodo, don’t cry!” he smiled, patting his uncle’s cheeks. “Taeilie is here now!” 

“I know! Oh, god… I can’t believe this, you’re so big Taeilie!”

But before Taeil could reply, Ten was taking him from Doyoung’s arms to hug him too and kiss him all over his chubby face. “My babyyyyyyy!!” he practically screamed, making Taeil laugh out loud. In the meantime, Doyoung hugged Taeyong just like he did with Taeil, and then of course Jaehyun. 

“So how was the flight?” Ten asked once they were making their way towards Doyoung and Ten’s car.

“Way too long.” Taeyong sighed. “Thankfully our Taeilie was such a good boy, but still… he  _ is  _ a six year old boy.”

Ten, who was walking with Taeil in his arms, addressed the boy. “Taeil, we got you  _ so  _ many toys and yummy things in our apartment, you won’t believe your eyes!”

“Yay!” the boy exclaimed excited. 

“He’s going to go back way too spoiled after this.” Jaehyun laughed. 

Doyoung scoffed, as if he was offended. “Who cares? We couldn’t spoil our baby for three entire years!” 

“Except for Christmas… and his birthday… and those surprise boxes filled with toys and american candy you sent him every other month…” Taeyong said with a flat tone of voice, but Doyoung just shrugged him away, making the young dad giggle.  

Doyoung and Ten just couldn’t resist preparing a box for Taeil every once in awhile with toys, clothes, school supplies, candy and even handwritten letters for him. It was their only way to feel closer to him, since watching him grow up through a screen wasn’t enough. Doyoung and Ten had struggled a lot when they first went to America, to settle down in a new and foreign country but also as a couple, and even though their plan at first was to go back to Korea every year, that didn’t work out at all. At the end, it was Taeyong, Jaehyun and Taeil the ones that had to visit them. 

“I’m so so so  _ so  _ excited you guys are here!” Doyoung wiggled in the front seat after finally reaching their car. They had even rented a special car seat for kids, so Taeil would be safe and comfortable as they drove around. “I just can’t believe it!” 

“We’re excited, too. Jaehyun has a list of all the places he wants to see and all the restaurants he wants to try.” 

“If I don’t leave this country with at least ten extra pounds in my body, then I’m counting this trip as a failure!” Jaehyun stated. 

Ten snorted. “You’re in good hands, my friend. Me and Doyoung are certified foodies! We know all the good spots!”

The ride to the apartment was fast and filled with laughter and excited exclamations from Taeyong and Jaehyun. Not Taeil, since he fell asleep pretty quickly, but he woke up after they finally reached the building. Doyoung and Ten’s apartment was absolutely beautiful. It was bright, nicely decorated, filled with plants and photographs on the walls took by Ten of the couple in different trips, aesthetic shots, random domestic moments captured without planning, and even some old pictures of Taeyong, Jaehyun and of course, Taeil.

A tiny dog came to greet them at the door, his name was Tokki, while a cat stared at them without interest from the couch. The cat’s name was Goya. 

“Welcome to our humble abode!” 

Taeil was still a little drowsy from his nap, but he woke up immediately after seeing the pets. He loved animals. Taeyong realized with pride how his friends had built a life here. There was love all over the walls, all over the furniture. In the little details, the pictures, their cute pets. They really loved each other so much that they had built everything from scratch even after almost breaking up forever. 

Taeyong suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion. 

Doyoung went to the kitchen to heat up their lunch. He had woken up at seven in the morning to get everything ready, and receive his friends with a delicious home cooked meal. Meanwhile, Ten helped Jaehyun with their suitcases and guided him to the guest room. 

“It’s beautiful,” Taeyong said. “Doyoung, this is  _ amazing _ .”

Doyoung smiled at him, walking towards his best friend, his brother, and hugged him closely. “I know.” he whispered, his voice cracking. “And with you guys here… everything feels so…  _ right.  _ So complete.” 

Taeyong looked at his friend in the eyes. Both of them were so emotional. “Don’t get too used to it. We’re only here for two weeks.” 

“Well,” Doyoung smiled so wide, his smile barely fit into his face. “We’ll have to make them count.”

  
  
  


_                                 The one where Taeil wouldn’t stop asking things _

  
  


There’s a very distinctive stage in any healthy child’s development where they won’t stop asking questions, driving their parents mad with different kinds of doubts about their world surrounding them from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. 

With Taeil, it began with an innocent ‘why’, followed by a ‘how’ and then another ‘why’, and then it kept developing until everything that came out of Taeil’s mouth were more and more questions. Taeyong really thought he was ready for it, since for Taeil that stage came a little late than for others kids, so he thought he knew what was coming. He was wrong. Nothing could’ve prepared him for it, and even less from the question that parents dreaded the most:

“Appa… where do babies come from?”

Taeyong froze. 

“What… what do you mean?”

“How are people made? How do you get a baby? Do you buy them?” the boy asked curiously while playing with his Legos on the table. 

Taeyong had to hold his laughter. “No, no, honey… you don’t buy babies.” 

“Then how?” this time, Taeil looked at his appa and lifted his shoulders cutely.

Taeyong sighed. He had read about this. A question most parents didn’t quite know how to answer. The internet and its unending wisdom said, depending on the kids’ age and maturity, would depend the amount of technicalities involved in the response. Taeil was seven. How the hell was Taeyong supposed to know if Taeil was ready for any tenchinalities? He was still a tiny, innocent little baby in his eyes!

“Well… um, when a couple love each other very much…” he began, sitting next to his boy on the dining table. “They — um, the man… uh… the man puts a seed inside the woman’s belly and...  then with a lot of love and patience… the baby grows inside their mom’s tummy for nine months and then the baby is born!”

Taeyong held his breath, waiting for the inescapable trail of questions.

“Nine months? Why?”

“Because that’s how long it takes for the baby to grow, so it can come out strong and healthy!”

“But… but how?” Taeil kept asking. “Where does the seed come from?”

Taeyong felt himself becoming sweaty. “From… from the dad.” 

Taeil looked at him unimpressed. “How?”

“He… He finds it inside a flower.” Taeyong lied. It was too late now, the damage had been done. “It’s a special kind of flower that dads need to find, and then the mommy eats it, and the baby grows inside of her belly.” 

“That sounds painful.” Taeil said softly. “Appa, did you find the flower when I was born?”

Taeyong had never said anything to Taeil about being adopted and he didn’t plan to, either. “Of course, we actually went together because we wanted you so much.”

At this, Taeil smiled. “Where was it?” he asked with innocence. Taeyong melted inside.

“In a forest. It was the most beautiful flower I have ever seen.” 

Taeil seemed satisfied with the explanation. Thankfully, no more questions came after that, at least in regard of that topic. 

Taeyong’s relief only lasted a few minutes, though, because right after he was filled with a sense of worry. Jaehyun had told him he couldn’t take Taeil’s real origin to the grave. Sooner or later Taeil was going to find out, and Taeyong sometimes couldn’t sleep wondering if one day his baby was going to hate him for it. For lying to him for so many years. Or even worse, hate  _ himself  _ for being the result of… such a horrible thing. That, and Taeil or Jaehyun getting hurt, were Taeyong’s biggest fears. 

But that night, as he was putting his son to bed and right before Taeil fell asleep, he said: “I love you, appa.” 

Taeyong swallowed heavily. “I love you too, my baby.”

_ The one where Taeil planned his future _

When Taeil was seventeen, he made a choice.

It was his last year of high school, and for the first time he had signed up for the talent show his school did every year. All the previews years he had watched shyly from the public at the way other kids danced, sang, did magic tricks or acted, and Taeil always went home with a feeling of emptiness inside his chest. Everytime, he would lock himself inside his room — and only when his parents weren’t home — he would sing his heart out. 

He had recorded himself a few times, because he knew some people thought they were good singers inside their heads but really couldn’t sing at all, and he humbly thought he was quite good. 

So this year, his last year of high school (so if he screwed up he wouldn’t have to see any of this people ever again), he was going to perform. He prepared his song for months. He was going to play with his guitar, so he didn’t want to make any mistakes. When Taeil was ten years old, his uncle Doyoung and his uncle Ten sent him an electric piano for Christmas, and since then he discovered his love for music, but he had never been open about his passion with singing for anyone, not even his parents or his closest friends. He always practiced when he was home alone or sometimes when he stayed back in school after his classes were done, using the music room to play without any interruptions. 

That’s why this moment felt so important to Taeil and he wanted everything to be perfect. He choose a song from one of his favorite singers, and not a particularly easy one because if he was doing this, he was going to go all out. 

The day of the performance, Taeil couldn’t even have breakfast. His heart was pounding inside his chest since the moment he woke up. 

“Honey, you look a little pale today.” His appa said, touching his forehead to check on his temperature. 

“I feel fine, appa. I promise.”

“Why are you taking your guitar to school?” this time his dad asked. 

“Well… we’re not doing a lot this days so — I’m just taking it.” 

They didn’t ask anymore, and after kissing the both goodbye, he quickly left. He knew his parents wouldn’t forgive him for not telling them about the performance, but he really couldn’t handle having them there. It would make him even more anxious. So instead he asked one of his friends to film everything. That way he could even send the video to his uncles in America.

His math teacher was the one who introduced him on stage. He received a lukewarm applause. Taeil didn’t really have many friends, and he was pretty much invisible to the rest of the students, but he barely paid attention to it. 

Taeil held his guitar closely, and thanked his teacher who helped him with the microphone. 

“Uh… hello.” he said into the microphone. He cleared his throat. “I’m Taeil and today I’ll be singing Overload by John Legend.” 

A group of girls squealed when he said this, clearly fans of the american singer. Taeil really hoped he wouldn’t disappoint them. 

With his heart on his throat and shaking fingers, [he began to play](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEa1WEXbMnY). And before the first line, he closed his eyes and  _ felt _ .

And it was… the most incredible experience in Taeil’s life so far.

 

_ Yeah we used to flirt with freedom  _

_ 'Fore everybody knew our name _

_ We became their favorite secret _

_ Love for love and not for fame _

_ Oh when I was your user, your FaceTime abuser _

_ Dose after dose 'til we crashed _

_ Now they bet on our game, say well go down in flames _

_ It's too good but we never could last _

 

Little by little, he won confidence, stretching his voice at full potential. At some point he realized the group of girls were singing along with him, and everybody in the audience was paying attention to him. 

 

_ Let that cellphone ring, let that bluebird sing _

_ Let that message say unread, _

_ Yeah, let them talk about us, let them talk too much  _

_ While we rule the whole world from our bed _

 

When Taeil was done, the entire school clapped and cheered for him. He stood up on shaky legs and did a little bow. His math teacher came back and complimented his voice. “Who would’ve known my best student had this little secret kept to himself!” he said laughing proudly. Taeil’s blood rushed through his veins, he felt more alive than ever, his eyes were shining and he couldn’t stop smiling. 

His classmates congratulated him after the talent show was done, and when it was time for the awards, he won the first place. 

When Taeil went back home with adrenaline still going through his veins and a golden medal on his neck (because his friends forced him to keep it on), he couldn’t hold his excitement from his parents anymore. 

“Appa, dad… I have something to tell you.” 

Jaehyun and Taeyong stared at their son waiting for him to explain. Taeyong chew his bottom lip, preparing himself for anything. 

Taeil took a deep breath. “I want to go into music. It’s what I love the most and… what I want to do for the rest of my life.” 

His parents were left speechless. 

“Music?” Taeyong asked at last. “Guitar?” 

"And singing.”

“That’s… unexpected…” Jaehyun said, looking confused. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Taeil sounded confident, sure of himself. “I’ve never been so sure of something in my entire life.”

“But… honey, with your grades you can get into any university you want!” Taeyong said this time. “The best of the best in the country… We thought your dream was becoming an architect!”

Jaehyun interrupted his husband. “Taeil, you know being a musician is hard, right? You probably won’t make a lot of money… and you’ll have to perform in front of many people. What about your panic attacks, sweetie?”

Taeil was getting very frustrated by this point. He wasn’t asking them for  _ permission _ , he was just simply letting them know. But his parents didn’t get the memo, apparently, as they kept listing the reasons they thought this wasn’t a good idea.  

So Taeil took a deep breath and [sang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB6DwlICX7U#t=20): 

 

_ My gift is my song, and this one’s for you.  _

_ And you can tell everybody that this is your song,  _

_ It may be quite simple but, now that it’s done,  _

_ I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind _

_ I put down in words _

_ How wonderful life is, now you're in the world _

 

Taeyong and Jaehyun were left speechless once again. 

“Taeil — ” 

 

_ So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do _

_ You see, I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue _

_ Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean _

_ It's yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen _

 

Jaehyun and Taeyong walked closer to Taeil and hugged him tight. 

“Of course we’ll support you, my love.” Taeyong whispered, overwhelmed by emotion. “I can’t believe my little boy will be a successful musician!” 

“Appa…” Taeil blushed. 

Jaehyun grabbed Taeil’s face between his palms, holding it carefully. “I can’t believe you kept this all to yourself! I mean, we knew you liked to play instruments but Taeil… _ your voice _ ?” 

“Do your friends even know about this, Taeil?” Taeyong asked. 

“Uh… actually,” the boy laughed awkwardly. “There’s a video I want you to see.”

  
  
  


_                          The one where Taeil called for advice _

 

Jaehyun woke up startled. A loud and incessant noise blared from his nightstand. 

The first thing he noticed was that it was still dark outside. Someone was calling him in the middle of the night, and when he picked up his phone and he read  _ Taeil  _ on the screen, his stomach dropped low with worry. 

_ “Dad?”  _

“Taeil?” Jaehyun felt his heart pounding. His son never called so early in the morning. He quickly checked the hour on the screen of his way too bright phone, it was five am. “Are you okay?”

_ “I’m sorry. Did I wake you? Of course I did…” _ Jaehyun could hear Taeil talking to himself like he always did. At least he didn’t sound hurt or lost or kidnapped. _ “I’m sorry, I’ll call later _ _ — _ _ ” _

“No, no, honey. It’s okay… I’m glad you called!” Next to him Taeyong slept soundly, somehow unaware of their son calling. Jaehyun stood up from the bed and went to the bathroom to speak more calmly. “Are you okay, baby? Are your uncles okay?”

_ “Yeah, don’t worry, they’re perfectly fine.”  _

A long silence. 

“Do you need money? I’ll transfer you right away — ” 

_ “No, no… Dad. It’s just that _ _ — _ _ ” _ Taeil hesitated. _ “Ugh, it’s embarrassing.”  _

Oh. “Oh.” Jaehyun tested the waters. “You can be honest with me, Taeilie.” 

_ “I guess I kinda need advice?” _ Taeil sounded unsure of himself. Jaehyun pictured him alone, sitting on the bathroom floor of Doyoung and Ten’s house, or maybe in some café hidden in a corner of New York, because he could hear a slight background noise.  _ “I met someone.” _

And there it was. And even though Taeil was twenty-three and living half across the world from him and Taeyong, Jaehyun still felt unprepared for this. “That’s… that’s great, baby.”

_ “Dad…” _ Taeil chuckled.  _ “I can literally hear your frown.” _

“That’s not true.” Jaehyun caught himself in the mirror. He was frowning. “I’m just wondering who this person is, to make you phone me at five am.”

_ “He’s… he’s a lot.” _

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

_ “I don’t know.” _

And another silence. 

_ “I’m just scared, I guess? I like him a lot and… well, I don’t want to break his heart.” _

So that’s what this was about. “Taeil, honey…”

_ “He likes me so much, dad. And it’s not like I feel obligated to return his feelings, because I do feel the same way… at least some of it! I like him! We are friends, we have been… dating, I guess… but you know what I think about relationships, right? And I’m just… I’m just not good at them! And I’m going back to Korea eventually anyways, so what’s the point? But I’m too much of a coward to break things with him before that happens and then having to see him everyday... but wouldn’t it be cruel to keep going? And I asked uncle Doyoung about it but he obviously said to go for it and to follow my heart… well, easy for him to say! He found his soulmate at nineteen! I mean, how many people really stay that long together, huh? Well… you and appa, too, I guess… but that’s not the point _ _ — _ _ ” _

Jaehyun sighed internally. He needed to find the right words to say to his son before he spiraled out of control and into a panic attack in the middle of New York City. “Baby, calm down… just — take a deep breath. Listen to me, okay?”

He could hear Taeil breathing on the line.  _ “I’m sorry… Okay, I’m listening.” _

“Taeil, life is filled with uncertainties. Did you ever imagine going to America and living with your uncles after you graduated high school? Meeting all the amazing friends you have made over there? When I was twenty-seven, I never ever imagined falling for your appa and becoming a  _ dad,  _ but it was the most amazing, beautiful thing that ever happened to me!” Jaehyun smiled, remembering the first time he saw Taeil. “You found me in that supermarket, baby. And I had no idea my life was going to change in so many beautiful ways.”

_ “Dad… I’m not--” _

“I  _ know  _ about your insecurities, my love. Me and your appa know very well… but you need to learn how to let life surprise you. Just… go with the flow! Things happen for a reason.”

_ “But _ _ — _ _ ” _

“You can’t be in control all of the time, Taeil.” Jaehyun kept going. “If you try to control everything, you’ll miss what could be amazing things.” 

_ “I guess….” _ Taeil sighed.

“Don’t hold back because you think you need to come back to Korea for me and your appa. Please, we want you to live your life without thinking you have any obligations towards us, because you don’t. Yeah, we miss you everyday of course, but we’re way more happy knowing you’re living your youth at your fullest, instead of having you here all to ourselves.”

_ “I… I know that, dad.” _ Taeil said softly.  _ “But I miss you, too.” _

“I know you do, my love.” Jaehyun smiled. “At the end of the day it’s your decision. But if I were you, I would listen to your uncle Doyoung’s advice more carefully. Listen to your heart.”

Taeil laughed. _ “That’s such a cliché, though.”  _

“Well, clichés exist for a reason.”

_ “Thanks, dad.”  _  Taeil said with sincerity. _ “And I’m sorry again for calling so early. I really needed to talk to someone.” _

“You can call me anytime, Taeilie... even if it’s three am or six am, it doesn’t matter. I love you, my baby.”

_ "I love you too, dad.”  _ Taeil whispered.  _ “I guess I’ll be going now. Oh, and can you please not tell appa about this?” _

“Of course.” Jaehyun smiled. “Wait, before you go, what’s the boy’s name? The one you’re dating?”

_ “His name is Johnny. And we’re not really dating!” _ Taeil complained.

“Mmm, we’ll see about that.”

_ “Dad!”  _

Jaehyun laughed. “I’ll try to catch a couple more hours of sleep, now. What time is it there?”

_ “Uh… three thirty. I should get some lunch, I’m starving. Actually, dad I do need some money after all, can you transfer me?” _

“This is what you wanted all along!” Jaehyun faked a gasp. “An evil mastermind!” 

_ “You’re so silly.”  _ Taeil laughed. Jaehyun felt a huge relief when he heard his son’s laugh. He was okay. Everything was going to be okay.  _ “I’ll be going now. Say hi to appa for me.” _

“Of course. Make sure to call him some other day, he misses you. We both do.”

_ “I will, I miss you guys, too.” _

“Maybe you can facetime and invite that Johnny boy so we can meet him, huh?”

_ “Maybe, maybe... _ ” Taeil laughed awkwardly.  _ “Bye, dad. Love you.” _

“I love you too, baby.”

And then the call was over. 

A knock interrupted the silence inside the bathroom. “Jaehyunie? What’s up?”

He left the bathroom to find Taeyong looking sleepy, confused and a little worried. “It was Taeil, he just needed some emergency money.”

Taeyong looked noticeably relieved. “Aish, this kid. When will he learn?”

Jaehyun laughed, kissing his husband’s forehead. “Who knows? He’s still young.”

“Yeah, he is.” Taeyong yawned. “Come back to bed, it’s early and I want to cuddle.” 

After they were under the covers and Jaehyun had Taeyong’s back pressed against his chest, Jaehyun’s mind immediately went to his conversation with Taeil. He thought about how being a parent was one of the most fulfilling but heartbreaking jobs ever. You had to raise your kids, but also let them go. 

Jaehyun fell asleep thinking that if that  _ Johnny  _ ever hurt his baby, he was not only going to have to fight him, he would also receive the terrifying rage of the peacefully sleeping kitty between his arms. Oh, Johnny didn’t stand a  _ chance _ .

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks a lot for reading! Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed this :)


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